CONTROVERSIAL POLICE OFFICER BACK ON THE FORCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 001199

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (BENT),CA/VO/L/A, CA/VO/F/P, CA/P

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016
TAGS: KCRM PGOV PHUM CVIS JM
SUBJECT: CONTROVERSIAL POLICE OFFICER BACK ON THE FORCE

REF: A. 05 KINGSTON 2728

B. 04 STATE 97099

C. 04 KINGSTON 1102

Classified By: Classified by CDA Ronald Robinson for Reasons 1.5 (b) an
d (d).


1. (U) Senior Superintendent Renato Adams, the controversial
former head of the disbanded Crime Management Unit (CMU),has
been reinstated to the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
Adams was taken off active duty in 2004 pending the outcome
of the trial in which he and five other members of the CMU
were tried for the murder of four people in Crawle (also
referred to as Kraal),Clarendon (Ref A). Following his
acquittal in December 2005, Adams was reinstated on June 12
to a newly created intelligence position that reports
directly to JCF Commissioner Lucius Thomas. Adams's duties
will include collecting, receiving and analyzing intelligence
and passing that information on to various agencies and
police officers.


2. (C) Bishop Herro Blair (protect),head of the Peace
Management Initiative and one of the members of the board
headed by Commissioner Thomas that investigated the Crawle
incident, discussed Adams with poloff on June 13. According
to Blair, who as a board member reviewed all of the details
of the case, much damning did not make it into court. He
characterized Adams as a "murderer". Blair also said that he
had met personally with Thomas to discuss Adams's
reinstatement. He noted that Thomas had created a special
position within his office so that he could keep a close eye
on Adams, and said that Thomas assured him that Adams would
not be allowed back on the street. Adams has only two years
left before retirement and about three months vacation per
year, Blair added, and a decision could even be made to allow
Adams to retire a year early.


3. (C) Following the CMU officers' indictments, their U.S.
visas were canceled pursuant to INA 214(b) and a potential
212 (a)(2)(A)(1)(I) - crime involving moral turpitude (Ref B
and C). On June 13, four former members of the CMU who were
acquitted along with Adams (Lenford Gordon, Devon Bernard,
Shayne Lyons and Roderick Collier) arrived at the Consular
Section to inquire about their visas. Fraud Off explained
that their visas had been revoked because they had been
determined to be "ineligible to travel", but that the
ineligibility was not permanent and they were eligible to
reapply.


4. (C) The media quickly picked up on the issue and the
following day, June 14, the headline of "The Gleaner" was
"Visas Revoked - U.S., Canada bar policemen charged with
Kraal murders". The article reported that Adams planned to
go to the Embassy to inquire about his U.S. visa the
following day. As promised, on June 14, Adams arrived at the
Consular Section and was met by the RSO and A/RSO/I in the
basement parking area. RSO informed Adams that his visa had
in fact been revoked and asked if Adams had his passport with
him so that his U.S. visa could be physically canceled.
Adams replied that he did not have his passport with him and,
consequently, his visa has been revoked in the system but not
physically canceled. RSO also informed Adams that he could
appeal the USG's decision to revoke his visa if he so
desired. On June 16, Adams publicly announced that he would
not appeal the revocation. He said he had visited the U.S.
only once in the previous 25 years, and that the NIV was
"very unimportant" to him.


5. (C) COMMENT: Despite a history of involvement in incidents
(including Crawle) that gave every appearance of being
extrajudicial killings, Adams and his fellow CMU members were
acquitted. Blair and others with intimate knowledge of the
Crawle investigation have told us in no uncertain terms that
there was an abundance of evidence that Adams's unit indeed
murdered the individuals at Crawle - regardless of what the
jury found. Adams enjoys a formidable reputation among
Jamaica's crime weary population as something of a
no-nonsense supercop and there is a fair amount of public
support to unleash him against the country's violent
criminals. He is also alleged to be close to elements of the
governing Peoples National Party, and with a general election
due by late 2007 (but which may occur within the next few
months),Adams poses something of a dilemma to a GOJ and a
JCF that find themselves vulnerable on the crime issue.
Right now, though, it appears highly unlikely that Adams will
be returned to the street action and the spotlight that he
craves. END COMMENT.
ROBINSON